India AI Summit: Countries that adopt, adopt and adopt model for AI will lead the way, says former British PM Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak (file image)

• Rishi Sunak: AI is the most transformative force of our generation
• He urges countries to rapidly adopt AI for global leadership
• Sunak: India's digital infrastructure crucial for AI growth

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Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said artificial intelligence will be the most transformative force of this generation, but stressed that only countries that follow the Adopt, adopt and adopt model will lead the way.

Speaking at the AI summit in India, Sunak said nothing in our lifetimes would be “more transformative” than AI.

“When it comes to AI, adoption is everything,” he said, arguing that countries that “adopt, adopt and adopt” will lead the way.

Safety and trust must move together

Sunak noted that the first global conversations on AI began with safety, and said frontier labs are now actively testing models to ensure guardrails are in place.

“AI progress and safety must go hand in hand if we are to fully reap its benefits,” he said, adding that the public sector will be where trust in AI is ultimately “won or lost.”

He pointed to the accelerating pace of technological change to underline the urgency of responsible adoption. It took the personal computer 15 years to reach 100 million users, the internet seven years, and ChatGPT just two months, he said.

India’s advantage

India, the former PM said, is uniquely placed to lead that transformation. He described it as the best venue to discuss AI’s global impact, citing India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) as a universal, verified foundation that can help AI reach 1.4 billion people. Indians, he added, are already among the world’s most prolific users of AI tools and data.

He also highlighted India’s record of frugal innovation, noting that the country sent Chandrayaan to the Moon at a fraction of global costs; a model, he implied, that could apply to AI adoption as well.

Raising the floor for humanity

By 2030, global food production will need to rise sharply to meet demand, he said, and AI can help optimise yields and resource use. He also stressed that no country has become healthier or wealthier without expanding access to quality education — an area where AI could bridge gaps for children lacking access to good teachers.

Sunak concluded that while challenges exist, the economic gains from AI could be enormous.